4/12/2006 'A Gift From the Taxman' Offering cash gifts to your dependents is a terrific way to leverage the benefits of new super rules; just make sure you do not break the $30,000 limits if you receive any Centrelink entitlements.
20/11/2006 'The Right Portfolio' Getting the asset allocation right, and sticking to it, is the key to building and maintaining an investment portfolio.
29/10/2006 'Heavyweight Contest' Whether to pay extra money off the mortgage or into superannuation depends partly on your time to retirement.
13/10/2006 'Fixed Yields Can Be Costly' The returns for some fixed-interest products are sometimes only slightly better than cash, and might carry more risk than many investors imagine.
4/10/2006 'Trade Tolls' Investors are being short changed by fund managers with high portfolio turnovers. By minimising portfolio turnover you significantly reduce the capital gains tax payable on your investments.
25/9/2006 'Dimensional Investing' Dimensional Fund Advisors brings a scientific approach to investing and building portfolios, measuring the value and size of stocks, their risk dimensions.
11/9/2006 'Smarter Giving' Tax-protected charity funds known as PPF's are becoming popular with Australian investors, but are they the best option for you?
4/9/2006 'Exploring the "Alternatives"' Fund managers are rushing to "alternative assets" for higher returns. Should private investors do the same?
9/8/2006 'Planning's Dirty Little Secrets' It craves professional status, but financial planning is too riddled with compromise and cosy deals for that. Scott Francis, an industry insider, lists seven issues the industry must fix.
02/08/2006 'Planners' Money Drain' Planners will invariably tell you they'll help you beat the market, then charge you a commission to put your money in a fund that can't even keep up with the index. Scott Francis reviewed funds' performance and found them 'comprehensively disappointing'.
10/7/2006 'The Case for Family Trusts' Are family wealth strategies too focused on super? Scott Francis says trusts' flexibility can help families before retirement age. no matter what life throws at them.
19/6/2006 'Millionaire Pensioners' Under new super rules investors can get greater access to government pensions, even if they have $1 million in the bank, Scott Francis reports.
7/6/2006 'Investors Guiding Stars' Even the highest rating for a managed funds' past performance is no guarantee it will continue to outperform, Scott Francis concludes after reviewing research.
29/5/2006 'Six Rules to Cut Tax' Tax planning should be a year-round consideration, not left for the last-minute rush as June 30 approaches, says Scott Francis. He offers a six-point primer.
12/5/2005 'Simplified Super' Proposed changes eliminate much of super's complexity and make it more rewarding after the age of 60, says Scott Francis. The downside is reduced access to social welfare.
26/4/2006 'Behind Closed Doors' Many fund managers are charging you for doing nothing with your money, and there's academic research to prove it says Scott Francis.
